Trust and Recovery

I have struggled with depression, anxiety, anorexia and PTSD. I did not have an easy life growing up. I had an abusive father that made it difficult to be anything less than perfect. If you wanted love, you had to be perfect. And everyone knows that not making mistakes in life is impossible, so love from my father was something that was never achievable. I was also bullied my whole life growing up, so when I was not being abused at home by my father, I was being bullied and harassed at school. I didn’t have any friends, and the ones that I did have, ended up leaving my school. Life became a lonely place and I didn’t know what else to do or where to turn. I became depressed and truly struggled more than words could express. But with the love of God, He gave me the strength to overcome.

He also gave me the people that I needed in my life to help me push through even when life seemed too much to handle.

I know that it can seem easier said than done to say “keep pushing forward” because I’ve been to my breaking point before. I know the feeling and desperation to want to feel okay again. You start to wonder if this is the end because it feels like you will never be able to breathe normally again. Everything feels like it is crashing down on you and that no matter what you do, you can’t escape from the crushing pressure. The kind of pressure that feels like it will keep increasing till you explode. Nothing seems like it will ever make sense again, and you will forever be confused. Confused about why everything seems to be going wrong. Why nothing seems to be getting better no matter how hard you try. It is even more difficult to trust that things will get better because whenever you put your trust into something, then it gets broken. You don’t want to be hurt anymore, so you shut the world out for your own protection. Because you feel like if you get hurt one more time, it will be the breaking point. The breaking point that defines your destiny. I know this because this is my story, just like so many others. We all have a story, but what we need to remember is that God has a plan for each and every one of us. We just need to trust.

There’s that word again that is so difficult: TRUST. But when we give up control for one second, great things can come from it. Yes, it is easier said than done, and I still struggle with this. BUT when we take a leap of faith, the picture can begin to form, and soon we will be able to see the masterpiece of our life.

I have a passion for bringing love and acceptance to everyone. I want people to know that it is okay to be struggling with a mental illness and it does not make you any less of a person. Your struggles are valid. I’m someone that has struggled with that my whole life, but I’m learning it’s okay to admit that you are struggling. It does not make you less of a person, or not as strong. It actually does the opposite. Sharing your struggles shows incredible bravery and strength. This is why I started Dare. My vision for Dare2love is this: “Dare2Love is helping to bring awareness to Mental Health issues, and helping to shine a light on a topic that does not get the attention that it should. We are taking a stand against the mistreatments that people with mental illnesses receive because of the poor education that is given on this topic. We are learning to not only show love to ourselves but to those around us in the world as well.”

Let’s start a revolution in the world of mental health today!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: EMMA GARDNER

Emma grew up and resides in Sunny Southern California. When she is not at work or school, she enjoys photography, writing for “Dare2Love”, playing the guitar, and spending time with her family. She enjoys drinking coffee and her favorite dish is Mexican food. You can follow her Mental Awareness Instagram page: @dare2loveeveryone.